Manchester City

[Bredbury Blue]

City XI: Hart, Sagna, Kompany ©, Otamendi, Clichy, Fernando, Fernandinho, Navas, Silva, De Bruyne, Aguero

Subs: Caballero, Mangala, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Delph, Sterling, Iheanacho

Thought he would have gone with Mangala who I reckon has been better than Otamendi recently.

Real Madrid XI: Keylor Navas, Carvajal, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, Bale, Lucas Vázquez, Benzema.

Didn't think he'd play.

Real Madrid subs: Casilla, Varane, James Rodríguez, Kovačić, Jesé, Isco, Danilo

Edited April 26, 2016 by Bredbury Blue

[Bredbury Blue]

Happy enough with that. Best of 1st half, struggled 2nd - thanks Joe Hart.

[smokie36]

Its a decent result....easy to go there and grind out a 1-0 win.

[Bredbury Blue]

Think the injury to Silva was crucial to us, we couldn't keep the ball up top and link play, it made us move KdB out wide for Nacho, more came down our left, and KdB couldn't link - RM had Aguero in the pocket. Hoping Silva and Yaya are fit for the 'mini-final' next week. Night!

[meatboy]

Its a decent result....easy to go there and grind out a 1-0 win.

yeh a fair result for MC.considering RM. had most of their reserves out.and their goal machine wasnt working.

MC's 2front player's aguera and the ginger guy were well held and posed no threat.

next week i dont give out much hope for them,but as our old JG.would say ITS A FUNNY OLD GAME.

HOPE ITS THE SAME REF.

[carmine]

Think the injury to Silva was crucial to us, we couldn't keep the ball up top and link play, it made us move KdB out wide for Nacho, more came down our left, and KdB couldn't link - RM had Aguero in the pocket. Hoping Silva and Yaya are fit for the 'mini-final' next week. Night!

You didn't concede an away goal. All to play for and i'd go all out for that first goal. That would really knock Madrid out of their stride.

[Chicog]

Pressure piled on them now. Good if uninspired performance.

[rijit]

Decent enough result, thanks to totally fab goal keeping by hart. but one would have to say advantage Madrid And given Ronaldo will be back for the home leg where a baying full house will be expecting nothing short of a win that will take them to the final, sori but it ain't difficult to see what's gonna happen.

BUT we live in hope and u never know, an early city goal ,,,,,,

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[Bredbury Blue]

Definitely advantage Madrid. They look the better team. We don't know if Ronaldo and/or Benzema will be back. Looks like Silva won't be back but hopefully Yaya will be as we lacked guile once Silva was off.

Modric caught my eye last night and their cbs were very dominate.

We started really well and dominated for the first 30. The brazillians were great 1st half but faded 2nd. Hart was excellent. The back four coped but Otamendi diving in always worried me. Kompany, awful at Newcastle, decent last night. Fullbacks were rarely troubled. Navas frustrated as usual and worked his socks off in equal measure - I'd rather have him over Sterling currently (Sterling in the last 2 games has been very poor). Didn't really work out for Aguero, Silva and KdB. Wasn't impressed with Pellegrini subs. Nacho coming on weakened us possession wise, maybe keeping the shape and KdB at no.10 with Delph on would have been better. Sterling contributed little coming on. We looked short of experience to come on with Yaya injured and Nasri not included. We were more pleased to hear the final whistle. Hopefully we can play better in the return leg, keep it tight, play on the counter and hope we get the goal (s).

[Bredbury Blue]

Think this nicely sums it up:

"If there is a criticism, it is that City put in what would be deemed an excellent away performance, except they were at home. They were compact, balanced, efficient and organised. They displayed focus, but not enough forward thrust. Perhaps they were so concentrated on their game plan that they were too slow to recognise this was Real Lite, a glorified second-string attack, Bale apart. The visitors departed satisfied."

[BangrakBob]

Sterling can't get in your starting line-up now?

Edited April 27, 2016 by BangrakBob

[rijit]

^ infairness think there's hardly ANYONE.playing Wide ish in the league that could un seat de bruyne.

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[BangrakBob]

^ even Navas is starting in front of him now though, and most City fans would be glad to see Navas gone. And when Silva went of injured last night they brought on the super kid

Edited April 27, 2016 by BangrakBob

[Bredbury Blue]

Sterling can't get in your starting line-up now?

Yep. Combination of a few things:

Coming back from injury

KdB has come back from injury and been sensational

We've discovered a set up that works of silva kdb navas supporting aguero.

He's looked very rusty in the 2 substitutions.

He doesn't look right to me, hesitant, no confidence. Both he and Bony have dropped behind Navas and Nacho.

[Bredbury Blue]

Loved this description of Otamendi from the Guardian:

"suddenly this team are keeping their opponents out, shielded by that twin Brazilian midfield axis, and with Nicolás Otamendi in particular in buccaneering form, high-kicking his way through this Champions League run like a man juggling plates on the roof of a steam locomotive sometimes wobbly, sometimes brilliant, always entertaining."

[jellydog]

Sterling can't get in your starting line-up now?

Yep. Combination of a few things:

Coming back from injury

KdB has come back from injury and been sensational

We've discovered a set up that works of silva kdb navas supporting aguero.

He's looked very rusty in the 2 substitutions.

He doesn't look right to me, hesitant, no confidence. Both he and Bony have dropped behind Navas and Nacho.

That sounds about right to me.

While Sterling hasn't been a bust at City I'd wager most City fans see him as a disappointment so far. Lots of raw talent but struggling with the learning curve. Seems to have a few pet moves and that's about it. I'm hoping Pep can pop him on the noggin with a magic wand. He's the perfect manager to do it.

[Bredbury Blue]

Chelsea lifted the FA Youth Cup for a third successive season after goals from Dujon Sterling, Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori helped seal a 4-2 aggregate victory over Manchester City.

[mrbojangles]

Heard on TalkSport yesterday that as soon as the CL semi's draw was made, City applied to the FA to have the Southampton away fixture changed from Sunday at 16:30 back to Saturday. Once again the FA knocked it back, showing they give absolutely no support to English teams in the CL.

Real Madrid play on Saturday.

[petermik]

Heard on TalkSport yesterday that as soon as the CL semi's draw was made, City applied to the FA to have the Southampton away fixture changed from Sunday at 16:30 back to Saturday. Once again the FA knocked it back, showing they give absolutely no support to English teams in the CL.

Real Madrid play on Saturday.

Same thing happened with United on many previous occasions,nobody outside United bothered then so why should other fans bleat about their club now

[rijit]

Would it be the FA or the prem they applied ? But shockingly stupid decision again probably overbearingly pandering to l the media.

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[Chicog]

Heard on TalkSport yesterday that as soon as the CL semi's draw was made, City applied to the FA to have the Southampton away fixture changed from Sunday at 16:30 back to Saturday. Once again the FA knocked it back, showing they give absolutely no support to English teams in the CL.

Real Madrid play on Saturday.

Welcome to the real world.

Happens to every team, get over it.

Three days should be ample, just field a weakened team against Soton.

[smokie36]

Pepdidnt wave his magic wand last night.

I thought Bayern were poor.

[mrbojangles]

Heard on TalkSport yesterday that as soon as the CL semi's draw was made, City applied to the FA to have the Southampton away fixture changed from Sunday at 16:30 back to Saturday. Once again the FA knocked it back, showing they give absolutely no support to English teams in the CL.

Real Madrid play on Saturday.

Same thing happened with United on many previous occasions,nobody outside United bothered then so why should other fans bleat about their club now

Well if United were "bleating" about it then, we have every right to "bleat" about it now.

Although I think people in Cronkeyshaw use the word "bleat" a bit different to those from Bamford.

[Bredbury Blue]

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TEAM OF THE WEEK:

Hart (City), Juanfran (Atletico), Kompany (City), Pepe (Real), Filipe Luis, Saul (both Atletico), Fernandinho (City), Fernandez (Atletico), Casemiro (Real), Torres, Griezmann (both Atletico)

I must have overlooked Casemiro's performance as I didn't see anything special in it. Surprised Modric didn't get a look in. Spot the Bayern players.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-city-news-uefa-player-11256010

Edited April 28, 2016 by Bredbury Blue

[Bredbury Blue]

^...or:

Hart..Stefan Savic..Fernando..Kevin De Bruyne

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/uefa-champions-league/2/blog/post/2860335/saul-modric-and-de-bruyne-in-champions-league-team-of-the-week

Edited April 28, 2016 by Bredbury Blue

[alfieconn]

^...or:

Hart..Stefan Savic..Fernando..Kevin De Bruyne

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/uefa-champions-league/2/blog/post/2860335/saul-modric-and-de-bruyne-in-champions-league-team-of-the-week

downloadfile.jpeg

Modric as an attacking mid he'd be in instead one of the f's, ran the game on Tuesday.

[Bredbury Blue]

^Definitely didn't run the 1st half ;-) 2nd half he caught the eye.

[alfieconn]

^Definitely didn't run the 1st half ;-) 2nd half he caught the eye.

Well he certainly the ran the game more than them two f's.

[alfieconn]

^...or:

Hart..Stefan Savic..Fernando..Kevin De Bruyne

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/uefa-champions-league/2/blog/post/2860335/saul-modric-and-de-bruyne-in-champions-league-team-of-the-week

downloadfile.jpeg

Christ knows how De Bruyne got in it, still ESPN is a yank company

[petermik]

Heard on TalkSport yesterday that as soon as the CL semi's draw was made, City applied to the FA to have the Southampton away fixture changed from Sunday at 16:30 back to Saturday. Once again the FA knocked it back, showing they give absolutely no support to English teams in the CL.

Real Madrid play on Saturday.

Same thing happened with United on many previous occasions,nobody outside United bothered then so why should other fans bleat about their club now

Well if United were "bleating" about it then, we have every right to "bleat" about it now.

Although I think people in Cronkeyshaw use the word "bleat" a bit different to those from Bamford.

"bleat" or moan same same........and the area my houseis in is the "posh" part of cronkey

Bamford as you must well know as always been known as "debtors retreat"